Form for casting regenerator checkerwork supports of refractory material



June 25, 1957 H. w. WALTERS 2,796,652

FORM FOR CASTING REGENERATOR CHECKERWORK SUPPORTS OF REFRACTORY MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1953 June 25, 1957 v H. w. WALTERS 2,796,552

FORM FOR CASTING REGENERATQR CHECKERWORK SUPPORTS OF REFRACTORY MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1953 INVENTOR. J/VA/h/AK) United rates Fatent FORM FOR CASTING REGENERATOR CMCKER- WORK SUPPORTS OF REFRACTORY MATERTAL Harry W. Walters, Edinbero, Pa.

Application February 11, 1953, Serial No. 336,263

3 Claims. (Cl. 25131.5)

This invention relates to a form for casting monolithic supports of refractory material for the checkerwork of open hearth regenerators and the like.

More particularly, this invention relates to a form for use in casting a regenerator checkerwork supporting arch of the type shown in my copending application Serial No. 372,473, filed August 5, 1953. The supporting arch shown in my copending application, to which reference is made for a more detailed description thereof, is of monolithic construction and is cast in position from refractory material as distinguished from conventional arches constructed of brick. The arch is cast with intersecting and integral walls which have a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the overlying tiles so that they define vertically extending flues which form a continuation of the fines provided by the regenerator checkerwork. A supporting arch constructed in this manner has advantages over arches conventionally fabricated from brick in that it does not obstruct the flow of gas through the hues, and particularly in that it increases the heat transfer surface area thereby providing an efiect equivalent to increasing the height of the checkerwork in conventional regenerators by several feet.

This invention has as its principal object the provision of a building form having features facilitating its removal after it has been used to cast in position a monolithic refractory support for regenerator checkerwork of the type shown in my copending application. To this end, the form includes a removable supporting framework which is mounted in position in the archway between the brick sidewalls of the regenerator at its base. In a manner A to be described, this framework provides both a form for the bottom surfaces of the integral and intersecting flue forming walls of the arch and a support for the flue forms about which the refractory fines are cast. The flue forms supported on the framework are collapsible for stripping from the sidewalls of the lines and removal from the top of the arch after it is cast in position. The flue forms, although collapsible, are provided with bracing parts by which they are held in position and which interlock each other against movement from a Vertically aligned position during the casting operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the drawing there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a cast regenerator supporting arch of the type shown and described in my above mentioned copending application;

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating the assembly of a form for casting the arch shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a part of the top of the form shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the flue forms forming a part of the assembled form shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the form shown in Fig. 4 with its cover plate removed;

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Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional and plan view taken substantially along the line VIIVII of Fig. 9;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the supporting framework of the form is assembled; and

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view illustrating the form assembled in position for a casting operation.

Fig. 1 discloses an arch support for heat transfer regenerators constructed in accordance with the teachings of my above-mentioned copending application. In this showing, the numeral 1 designates the archways through which gases have ingress and egress with respect to an overlying heat transfer regenerator structure. The archways 1 are defined by brick side walls 2, intermediate supporting walls 3, and the supporting arch 4, the brick front wall of the regenerator being omitted to show the arch support 4. As in conventional regenerators, a plurality of intermediate walls in accordance with the number of archways required may be provided. The side walls2 are recessed as at 5 to provide supporting ledges 6 for opposite sides of the arch 4.

The arch 4, as explained in the said copending application, is a monolithic structure which is cast in position from a suitable plastic material having the desired refractory properties essential for regenerator heat transfer operation. It has intersecting and integral vertically extending sets of parallel walls 7 and 8 which cooperate to provide plural vertically extending flues 9 correspending in number and shape to the flue openings in the refractory tile checkerwork to be supported thereby. The lines 9 open through the top and bottom surfaces of the arch 4 and in effect form continuations of the fines in the regenerator tile checkerwork. The intersecting walls 7 and 3 have a thickness which is the same as the thickness of the tiles 10 which are laid thereon to build up the regenerator checkerwork so that the surfaces of the lines 55 form smooth extensions of the checkerwork fiues and thus eliminate the obstructions to the flow of gas through the checkerwork lines which are had in conventionally constructed regenerator supporting arches. As compared to conventional constructions in which the supporting arches are built up of brick, the cast arch 4 increases the available heat transfer surface area and provides anelfect equivalent to adding several feet to the height of the checkerwork tile of a conventional regenerator.

As indicated, the present invention is concerned principally with a form for casting the supporting arch 4. The manner in which the form is assembled is shown in Fig. 2 wherein the form is illustrated as being comprised of a supporting framework 11 on which are mounted a plurality of flue forms 12. The framework 11 and fine forms 12 cooperate to define intersecting sets of parallel slots 13 and parallel slots 14 providing the spaces in which the refractory mastic is poured to form the walls 7 and 8, the outer surfaces of the flue forms 12 defining the inner surfaces of the lines 9 and the exposed upwardly facing surfaces 15 of the framework ll defining the bottom surfaces of the intersecting walls 7 and 8.

The structure of the framework 11 and its manner of assembly will be best understood by referring to Fig; 8. In this showing, the framework 11 is shown temporarily supported on horizontally extending planks 16 mounted in position on removable supporting standards 17 the planks 16 extending along the walls 2, 3. The framework 11 comprises a plurality of spaced parallel wooden arches 18 which respectively have their ends suitably secured as by bolts (not shown) to the planks 16. The arches 18 have upper surfaces 19 of an arcuate shape corresponding to the arcuate contour of the bottom of the arch 4, the

21 are mounted in the slots 20, their upper surfaces 2.2are

;flush with and form a continuation of the arcuate surface 19 of the arches 18. The upper surfaces 22 of the strips 21 define the lower surfaces ofthe parallel .walls 8. The 7 .strips 21 and arches 18 cooperate to define openings'23 of rectangular shape for the reception of the forms 12. 0

Each side of each' arch 18 is provided with a plurality of wedge receiving. openings 24 for the reception of re- -movable supporting wedges for the flue forms 12 in a' 1 manner to be described.

The structure of the flue forms 12 is best shown in Figs. 4 through 7. As shown in .these figures, each of the flues comprises spaced side plates 25 respectively having -a U-shaped configuration so that their arms 26 point .toward each other and form apart of the connecting .sides. The connecting sides are completed by intermediate plates 27 of rectangular shape, the ends of which abut against the outer edges of the arms 26. The plates 1 and.27 thus cooperate to provide a hollow flue form of rectangular shape and are separable with respect to each other to facilitate stripping after the casting opera- 25 tion has been completed. The plates 25 and 26 are preferably aluminum since the refractory mastic after setting has less ofa tendency to adhere thereto than other metals.

At one or more levels within the flue forms 12, the

plates 25 and 26 are provided with horizontally aligned 3 Y ledges 28 the upper surfaces 29 of which are respectively in a horizontal plane for supporting a spacing member 7 30 as shown in Fig. 5. The peripheral edge of the spacing member 30 has a snug fit with the interior surfaces of the plates 25 and 27 and functions to prevent inward movement of the sides 25 and 27 relative to each other.

The spacing members 30 are preferably of a skeleton shape providing a central opening 31 to facilitate removal preparatory to stripping of the flue form from'the cast 0 arch in a manner to be described.

Ledges 32 similar to the ledges 28 are provided adjacent the upper end of each of the sides 25 and 27. Each 7 of the ledges 32 is provided with an upwardly projecting pin 33 for reception in openings 34 formed in an aluminum cover plate 35. The cover plate 35 has a periphery e 36 which fits snugly within the inner surface of the mold 12. When the cover plate 35 is applied as shown in 7 Figs. 4 and 6, its upper surface is flush with the top edges of the plates 25 and 27. The cover plate when mounted in position in this manner is efiective to prevent movement of the plates 27 toward each other, and the engagement of the pins 33 in the openings 34 is effective to prevent movement of either sets of spaced plates 27 or 25 toward and away from each other.

To support intermediate forms 1212 on the framework 11', supporting members 37 are inserted in the slots 24 formed in the sides of the arches 18. As will be apparent from Fig. 7, each of the members 37 has a length i such that it laps adjacent portions of abutting arms 26 and side edges of the side plates 27. In this manner each of the members 37 provides a support for an arm 26.and one side of a plate 27. It will be noted that it is only necessary to provide supporting members 37 for the intermediate flue forms 12b, the forms 12a at each end of the arches 18 being supportable directly on the planks 16 and the'upper surfaces of the intermediate walls 3 or the ledges 6.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the flue forms are provided with a bracing framework, indicated as a whole by the numeral 39 for interlocking and bracing the upper ends of the forms 12 in spaced and aligned positions relative to each other. The framework 39 comprises intersecting sets of parallel strips 40 and parallel strips 41. The strips 40 and 41 are positioned normal relative to each other and are providedrespectively/"with slots r 2,796,652 p r 42 and 43 at their points of intersection providing a mortised connection. The mortised connection provided by the notches 42 and 43 interlocks the strips 40 and 41 against movement relative to each other. Each of the strips 41 is provided with a downwardly projecting pin 44 directly underneath and centrally of each of its notches 43 so that there is a downwardly projecting pin 44 at each of the points of intersection of the strips 40 and 41. Each of the'pins 44 is receivable in an opening 45 formed in the center of a cover plate 35 so that the pins 44 are effective to secure the positions of the cover plates 35 and thereby the upper ends of the forms 12 with respect to each other.

The form is assembled by first mounting the supporting planks 16 in position along the sides of the walls 2 and 3. The wood arches 18 are then secured in position with respect to supporting planks 16 after which the transverse strips are mounted in the arch notches 20 to thereby complete the supporting framework 11. The flue forms 12a and 12b are then assembled with each flue .form being comprised of a pair of end plates 25, a pair of side plates 27, a cover plate 35 and at least one spacing plate 30, the intermediate forms 12b being supported on supporting members 37. In this manner, the framework 11 provides a temporary support for the flue forms 12.

'After assembly of the forms in this manner, the upper framework 39 is applied with the downwardly projecting pins 44 respectively positioned in the openings 45 of the cover plates 35 whereby it is effective to interlock and brace the forms in position with each other. When assembled, the outer surfaces of the flue forms 12 define the intersecting spaces 13 and 14 which are closed at the bottom by the upwardly facing surfaces 19 of the arches 18 and by the upwardly facing surfaces 22 of the strips 21.

After assembly of the form in this manner, the arch 4 may be cast in position. This is accomplished by pouring refractory mastic on the top of the flue forms which is then tamped downwardly into the spaces 13 and 14 to completely fill the same. The spaces 13 and 14 are filled to a level flush with the upper surface of the cover plates 35 and the upper edges of the plates 25 and 27 of the flue forms. After the refractory thus poured into the spaces 13 and 14 has set, the form is removed by first removing the supports 17. The planks 16 are then detached from ends of the arches 13 after which the arches 18 and cross strips 21 may be stripped from the bottom of the arch.

The flue forms 12 are stripped from the cast arch by an operation performed at its upper surface. This is accomplished by first removing the bracing framework 39. The cover plates 35 are then removed by pulling upwardly by means of a hook inserted through the opening 45. Removal of the top plates 35 renders accessible the spacing plates 30 which are removed by a hook which is inserted through the openings 31 centrally thereof. Thereafter, removal of the flue forms may be completed by first stripping the side plates 27 from the sides of the vertically extending flues after which the plates 25 of U-shape configuration may be removed in a similar manner.

Upon completion of the stripping operation, the regenerator structure is fabricated by laying refractory tiles 10 directly on the upper edges of the walls 7 and 8 as described above with the vertically extending flucs 9 form- 7 ing continuations of the lines in the tile checkerwork.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the framework 11 forms both a part of the casting mold for V the arch 4 and a support for the flue forms 12. This fearemove the bracing framework 39, lower plates 35, and spacer plates 30 before removal of the forms 12.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is merely by way of illustration, and that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the contemplation of the invention and under the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A form for casting regenerator supports having integral and intersecting refractory walls forming vertically extending flues comprising a framework including a plurality of spaced parallel arches, a removable support having supporting engagement with the ends of said arches, a plurality of spaced parallel strips extending transversely of and carried by said arches, said strips and arches having upwardly facing surfaces corresponding to the bottoms of said Walls and defining a plurality of openings of a number and contour corresponding to said flues, a plurality of flue forms respectively projecting upwardly through one of said openings and having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of one of said flues, each of said arches having vertically extending sides provided with a plurality of supporting member receiving notches therein, and supporting members removably positioned in said notches and having portions projecting outwardly from said sides in supporting engagement with the bottoms of said flue forms.

2. A form for casting regenerator supports having integral and intersecting refractory walls forming vertically extending flues comprising a framework including a plurality of spaced parallel arches, a removable support having supporting engagement with the ends of said arches, and a plurality of spaced parallel strips extending transversely of and carried by said arches, said strips and arches having upwardly facing surfaces corresponding to the bottoms of said walls and defining a plurality of openings of a number and contour corresponding to said flues, a plurality of flue forms respectively projecting upwardly through one of said openings and having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of one of said flues, said outer surfaces defining sets of intersecting parallel spaces in which refractory material may be cast to form said refractory walls, said upwardly facing surfaces closing the bottoms of said spaces and thereby defining the lower ends of the walls formed by the refractory material cast in said spaces, each of said arches having vertically extending sides provided with a plurality of supporting member receiving notches therein, and supporting members removably positioned in said notches and having portions projecting outwardly from said sides in supporting engagement with the bottoms of said flue forms.

3. A form for casting regenerator supports having integral and intersecting refractory Walls forming vertically extending flues comprising a framework including a plurality of spaced parallel arches, a removable support having supporting engagement with the ends of said arches, a plurality of spaced parallel strips extending transversely of and carried by said arches, said strips and arches having upwardly facing surfaces corresponding to the bottoms of said walls and defining a plurality of openings of a number and contour corresponding to said flues, a plurality of fine forms respectively projecting upwardly through one of said openings and having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of one of said flues, said flue form-s each having a hollow rectangular shape and being comprised of two spaced end plates of U-shaped configuration having arms projecting toward each other and two intermediate plates respectively having side edges in abutting engagement with one arm on each of said side plates, means holding said plates in spaced relation including a cover plate closing the top of each form, said outer surfaces defining sets of intersecting parallel spaces in which refractory material may be cast to form said refractory walls, said upwardly facing surfaces closing the bottoms of said spaces and thereby defining the lower ends of the walls formed by the refractory material cast in said spaces, each of said arches having vertically extending sides provided with a plurality of supporting member receiving openings therein, and supporting members removably positioned in said notches and having portions projecting outwardly from said sides in supporting engagement with the bottoms of said plate, each of said projecting supporting member portions having supporting engagement with the lower edge of one of said arms and the lower edge of one of said intermediate plates abutting against such arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 31,503 Wilford Feb. 19, 1861 164,057 Tartiere June 1, 1875 802,848 Dunn Oct. 24, 1905 841,136 Fisher Jan. 15, 1907 875,700 Dumais Jan. 7, 1908 938,024 Sigler Oct. 26, 1909 984,878 Aylett Feb. 21, 1911 994,336 Redman June 6, 1911 1,198,087 Venable Sept. 12, 1916 1,387,790 McCaffery Aug. 16, 1921 1,642,980 Turner Sept. 20, 1927 1,699,017 Poore Ian. 15, 1929 1,851,399 Miller Mar. 29, 1932 2,507,924 Morse May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 72,357 Germany Dec. 15, 1893 

